Ice fishing in winter is a popular outdoor activity in northern United States and Canada. Walking onto a frozen lake, drilling a hole in the ice, and sitting on a bucket or chair with a jig stick in hand in temperatures below freezing zero degrees is ice fishing, a therapeutic experience. Out on the ice the hassles of work, the to-do lists, taxes, wars and politicians all fade away into the background. A field of ice is a landscape that sears the sin from the soul. Parkas, insulated pants and boots and bulking gloves are the ice fishing attire to maintain at least some body heat. Ice fishing houses and shelters have been used to escape the cold and windy environments on the ice. Fish houses are portable buildings that are located on the ice for the duration of a period of time determined by ice conditions and government regulations. The interiors of fish houses range from simple rooms to rooms having heaters, furniture, and communication devices. The floors of fish houses have one or more openings that allow augers to drill fishing holes in the ice.
Ice fishing persons use jig sticks or ice fishing rods to retain fish lines and bobs in open holes in the ice in sub-zero temperatures. The ice fishing rods are handheld and periodically moved up and down or jigged to move the bait to attract fish. Signal devices known as tip-ups are used to alert a fishing person that a fish has taken the bait. Audible and visual alarms have been used with signal devices to alert a fishing person remote from the fishing rod. An example of a tip-up ice fishing alarm is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,788. There are numerous alarm devices for use with fishing tackle that respond to the pull of baits by fish. Some of these devices are mounted directly on the fishing rod and other devices are separate from the fishing rods. A fishing alarm mount on a fishing rod is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,185. A fishing alarm and light apparatus remote from a tip-up is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,561.